Increased demand for luxury travel experiences in established and emerging destinations will drive another strong year of growth for Marriott International across Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific.
According to Sean Hunt, Area Vice President Australia, New Zealand & Pacific of Marriott International, authentic, personalised, and meaningful guest experiences will be underpinned by a solid pipeline of new hotels and the introduction of popular Marriott brands in the region. Marriott will continue to expand its portfolio, with five new hotels due to open by the end of 2023.
“We started 2022 with the opening of Courtyard by Marriott Melbourne Flagstaff Gardens in March, followed by AC Hotel by Marriott Melbourne Southbank. And we recently announced the signing of Australia’s third Ritz-Carlton hotel on the Gold Coast and Courtyard Western Sydney Airport,” Hunt said.
“In 2023 we are excited to introduce another two new brands with Le Meridien Melbourne and Moxy Sydney Airport set to open alongside Ritz-Carlton Melbourne, W Sydney, and Courtyard by Marriott Perth, Murdoch, and Marriott Executive Apartments Port Moresby marking our inaugural foothold in Papua New Guinea.”
The joy of good travel
Marriott will continue to deliver unrivalled guest experiences across the worlds of sport, culture, culinary and lifestyle with its award-winning travel program Marriott Bonvoy.
As the official hotel partner of the Australian Open, 2023 kicks off with former world number one Ash Barty’s return to Melbourne Park as Marriott Bonvoy’s Summer of Tennis ambassador for a second time.
The exclusive partnership will give members access to more than 50 unique Marriott Bonvoy Moments at Australia’s most sought-after sporting event including high profile matches, tennis clinics and access to Marriott Bonvoy’s private hospitality suite.
“We know our guests deeply and understand what they are looking for in their travels. Our value lies in our desire and ability to connect our guests with their passions through incredible moments that leave a lasting impact,” said Florencia Aimo, Senior Area Director of Marketing – Australia, New Zealand & Pacific Islands at Marriott International.
“We have an extraordinary portfolio of 30 global hotel brands and our teams are busier than ever creating magical money-can’t-buy experiences that fuel our guests’ joy for travel and change the way in which they see and experience the world.”
Last month, Marriott International celebrated its partnership with ideas engine TEDxMelbourne and TEDxSydney with a series of events and interactive workshops exploring themes of Inspiring Brilliance – with plans underway for further collaborations with TEDxBrisbane.
In 2023, Marriott Bonvoy members can look forward to behind-the-scenes, front-row, and VIP experiences through Marriott’s partnership with Sydney WorldPride, along with a host of other exciting partnerships that will entice travellers with interests in diverse arenas – from the sporting arena to the culinary world.
A sustainable future
Marriott Bonvoy’s Good Travel program, which offers guests the opportunity to forge first-hand connections with local communities, will continue to grow across the region, reaffirming Marriott’s commitment to doing good in the communities where it operates.
Now available at 100 Asia Pacific properties, including three Australian hotels, Marriott is set to deliver richer and wider choices of meaningful moments that promote both cultural understanding and positive, sustainable change.
From hotel design to the guest experience, Marriott International will continue to focus efforts on a wide range of sustainability measures including resource-efficient hotels, purchasing green products, and supporting innovative environmental initiatives.
Plans are already underway to offer mobile check-in and digital room keys from next year and Marriott remains committed to reach net-zero value chain greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050.
People-first culture
To support its expansion, Marriott continues to attract and retain the best talent while inspiring a new generation of hospitality workers with its commitment to diversity and inclusion.
Fostering female leadership remains a top priority with over a third of above-property associates in ANZP and 42% of its on-property leaders being women. Marriott also continues to support the LGBTQIA+ community and associates with its ONE network (formed in 2010) and extends its partnership with Sydney WorldPride for the third consecutive year with a meaningful expression of W Hotels in the Mardi Gras Parade.
The launch of employee engagement program Life with the Works earlier this year provides flexible access to unmatched training hours and career opportunities across all aspects of the world-famous hospitality business. Centred around a people-first culture, the platform offers incredible opportunities for associates to grow personally and professionally whilst living their best life.
“Our priority has always been and will continue to be our associates. We empower them to grow and discover their own journey and live life to the fullest no matter how one defines this,” Hunt said.
“We operate on the ethos of if we take care of our associates, they in turn will take care of our guests.”
With a thrilling year ahead, Marriott International looks forward to creating emotional connections for new and returning guests through personalised experiences, coupled with luxury stays and exceptional service.